Dec. 5

Sorry about the silence, hard to report when not much is happening.  We will start with Tuesday.  Walked south down the W shore.  The ice to Steiners was mostly 6 inches.  After this the new ice started, smooth and blue, and drilled out at 4 inches remaining the same till Indian bay where the older ice started testing out a 6 inches again.  Today we got about an inch of fresh snow and did the same route and found 5 inches in the new ice area, so a growth of 1 inch in two days. Around the S corner of Indian bay to barely S of diving rock and found 5 inches.  Went no further S.  North around the N shore of the lake on older ice and continuing S down the E shore, we found 6-7 inches along the shore till we got close to Fletchers then the depth started to decrease with 5 inches out from Stearns then down to 4 inches approaching Campbells point at the W entrance into Als yard.  Thus endeth the journey.  Of note is an ice ridge that has formed E to W across the lake from the big island toward diving rock which will need some investigation when the ice is safe.  A colder night tonight at -19 then 2 days of single digit lows.  Anticipate checking ice again Saturday or Sunday.